The New York Times reports that Sen. Barack Obama has no campaign offices in Arkansas and hasn't visited the state since 2006. Even though,

Arkansas has a Democratic governor, an overwhelmingly Democratic legislature, two Democratic United States senators and three Democratic Congressional representatives out of four.

The Democratic presidential primary here drew 80,000 more voters than the Republican one. And though the state voted for President Bush in 2000 and 2004, the two previous elections went handily to its native son, Bill Clinton.

What's up with this? Is it a sign that other than the southern states with large African American populations like North Carolina, Georgia and Virginia, he's not even going to try to win southern rural voters? [More...]

Steve Clemons at the Washington Note reports that Sen. Barack Obama's campaign has told Gen. Wesley Clark his services aren't needed at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Clemons adds in an update:

I have reconfirmed with General Wesley Clark's office that he has not been asked to play a role at the Democratic National Convention. His staff have told me that while his schedule remains tight, he would rearrange his schedule to help play any constructive role on any days of the convention if asked.

If true, I guess that means Clark will not be the Veep candidate. Too bad. He would have been a great choice and brought a lot to the ticket in November.

So say the Rocky Mountain News poll:

Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama are neck-and-neck in Colorado, solidifying the state as a key, swing area that will be pivotal in deciding who becomes the next president of the U.S., according to a Rocky Mountain News/CBS4 News poll released Friday. "It's a heck of a horse race in Colorado," said pollster Lori Weigel. "We're officially a purple state now."

. . . Overall, Coloradans favored McCain 44 percent to 41 percent, but the gap was within the poll's margin of error of plus or minus 4.38 percentage points. McCain also had a slightly higher approval rating, 55 percent to 53 percent, also within the margin of error.

This is the first time I have seen a non Rasmussen poll with McCain leading in Colorado. Yes, it makes me worry. Colorado is pivotal to an Obama electoral map strategy. I thought he would win it easily.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

In May, I published Peniel Cronin's ground-breaking research report on the injustices in the 2008 state caucuses. The original report is here, the June revised report is here. ( Posts on the follow-ups and revisions here.)

Ms. Cronin has just released her final report. The data charts for the report are here. The report contains new information and data as well as a rewritten Conclusion and a call for caucus reform.

Ms. Cronin stresses that the report is not about Obama-bashing. It is clearly about the flaws of the caucus as a voting system, as distinguished from its value as a forum of debate and discussion. Here's an excerpt from her conclusion: [More...]

Another press release received today from the DNC announces a "Unity Breakfast." It's an event that marries civil rights and faith.

DENVER – The Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) today unveiled plans for a unity breakfast to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the March on Washington on Thursday, August 28 during the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver. Martin Luther King III will join with civil rights leaders including Rev. Al Sharpton and faith leaders including Rabbi Jack Moline and Sister Simone Campbell to honor Martin Luther King Jr., the message of his “I Have a Dream” speech and the movement behind the March on Washington.

[ More...]

Chris Cillizza at the WaPo's The Fix puts out his (and I stress the word "his") Friday afternoon line on whom Obama will pick for Veep.

He has Joe Biden in top place and Kathleen Sebelius in bottom place at #5. In between: Jack Reed, Tim Kaine and Evan Bayh. (Big Tent Democrat thinks Obama's smartest move would be to pick Biden. Biden is a dealbreaker for me.)

Gen. Wesley Clark, my favorite, doesn't even make Chris' list.

Who do you think he will pick? Any dealbreakers out there for those of you who are planning on voting for Obama? Anyone who would make you stay home?

I think he will pick Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine. Am I happy about it? No, but I can live with it. Same for Evan Bayh. Sebelius would be better than than either, but he's obviously not going to pick a woman other than Hillary.

In a strange article, Robert Borosage and Katrina Vanden Heuvel "advise" progressives not on how to forward progressivism, but on how to forward Obama's victory in November. The whole article is just strange, but this part REALLY is bizarre:

Progressives generally--and independent media and the blogosphere specifically--can contribute by reminding voters there's a clear choice in this election . . .

Ummm, isn't that Obama's job? There is a whole "poor Obama can't stand up to the Beltway Establishment and we need to prop him up" quality to the article that is just surreal. Let me put it this way, I found this article pretty demeaning to Obama as well as progressives.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

This is from Politico so who knows how true it is (messin' is a euphemism for the eff word here), but if it is, then the Obama camp is showing some real stupid now:

The Obama campaign is denying House Ways and Means Chairman Charles B. Rangel a speaking role at this month’s Democratic National Convention — a move those close to the powerhouse Harlem congressman view as a spiteful snub.

As the Rangel confidant states:

“It’s crazy. … This man [Rangel] controls tax policy in the United States [Rangel is Chairman of Ways and Means]. He’s a lot bigger than just a regular member of Congress. He deserves more respect than this,” said a Rangel confidant. “Basically they have told us they can’t help us, that there are too many Obama supporters ahead of Charlie on the line.”

Crazy is right. Full disclosure - Charlie Rangel is one of my favorite pols of all time. I'm a bit of a cultist when it comes to Charlie Rangel.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

The Democratic National Convention Committee announced more added speakers to Wednesday's lineup. Earlier, I reported on Sen. Ken Salazar. Now, there's another press release (no link yet) that says the following have been added:

Governor Bill Richardson and Senators Evan Bayh, Joe Biden and Jay Rockefeller will echo Obama’s call for a new direction in national security and outline his policies and plans to secure America’s future.

I think that means we can cross them off the list. Who's left? General Wesley Clark and Tim Kaine come to mind. [More...]

Kevin Drum points us to this very interesting James Fallows article about the Presidential debates and while Fallows, as always, writes a great insightful article about the debates, he ignores the elephant in the room - the Media's hatred of Hillary Clinton. I think there are two particularly revealing excerpts of the article that demonstrate what Fallows ignores - the Media's persistent, unfair and grinding attacks on Hillary Clinton (which also translated into open rooting for Barack Obama). The first Kevin highlights:

When I'd seen this final [ABC] debate in real time, I'd been outraged by its harsh tone and belated attention to policy matters (including Gibson's little lecture to the candidates on why capital-gains tax cuts always paid for themselves). When I saw its place in the series, I realized it was like a late episode of The Sopranos in which nearly everyone gets mowed down. It was violent and dehumanizing, but it was the culmination of a long process.

More...

The Denver Post reports Sen. Ken Salazar will speak Wednesday night at the Democratic National Convention, but he isn't the Veep pick.

Who's left? According to the Post, only those without a speaking slot at the Convention. That includes:

• Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine,
• New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson,
• Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana,
• Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware and
• former Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn.

What about General Wesley Clark?

U.S. News and World Reports has a new series of articles on the primary target groups of voters for both the Obama and McCain campaigns in the swing states in November.

THE WEST

McCain is confident he'll grab the Western states with Republican tendencies, and instead plans to lay out serious campaign cash in places with big electoral troves like Ohio, Florida, and Michigan. Obama, parsing the electorate map, has sensed opportunity out west, and has a rich supply of private donations to go after those voters. And, with the Mountain West in transition, the long Democratic primary season helped the party register new and more enthusiastic voters.

More...